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Announced originally in May at this year’s I/O conference, Google has finally launched its Duo one-on-one video calling application for iOS and Android. Available in 76 different languages, Google will be rolling out the title to masses starting from today. The app doesn’t require any account of sorts and will directly allow users to sign up using their phone numbers which can be a good or a bad thing given whether you regularly change smartphones or not.

Google Duo’s main appeal lies in the spontaneous factor it brings to the video-calling paradigm – Unlike others, when a person calls you via Duo, the caller’s live stream will be commenced regardless of whether the receiver picks it up. “Knock Knock” as Google likes to call it, aims to make calls “feel more like an invitation rather than an interruption”. Additionally, the calls will be end-to-end encrypted and it is based on WebRTC’s open project relying on a new protocol titled “Quic” which is capable of performing a “seamless handoff” of calls between Wi-fi and cellular connections. Furthermore, the app will automatically tune the resolution based on your internet connectivity. Unfortunately, Google Duo does not sync with any other messaging clients the California-giant has released earlier including Hangouts, Spaces or any other.

Despite being late in the game, Google Duo definitely stands out in the market as of now due to its clutter-free interface. However, asking customers to install yet another calling application can be a resistive job to achieve. The company should focus on blending their services together in order to provide a much more coherent switch. Additionally, Google will be also soon launching their new messaging platform – Allo that skillfully integrates Google Assistant. Google Duo will be gradually phasing out worldwide on Android and iOS, as of now, it is not available in the majority of regions.

Download Google Duo APK

In case the app is still not available in your country and you are desperate to try it out, you can download and side load the APK from the below link.

PS: The APK comes in several variants depending upon the screen size of your Android phone. So look for the right option before downloading.

Update: If you are getting “Unable to send the request” error, it’s probably because the Google servers are accepting just the US phone numbers for now. One needs to wait for the global rollout it seems.

Shubham is based out of Ahmedabad, India and is studying to be a Computer Engineer, while specializing in mobile applications. He loves covering what's new in the smartphone space and aims to make it his primary profession some day.